Disney Villains (U.S. 2017)

Updated July 7, 2017: The Scott Catalogue numbers for this issue are

5213 (49¢) Disney Villains – The Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
5214 (49¢) Disney Villains – Honest John from Pinocchio
5215 (49¢) Disney Villains – Lady Tremaine from Cinderella
5216 (49¢) Disney Villains – Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland
5217 (49¢) Disney Villains – Captain Hook from Peter Pan
5218 (49¢) Disney Villains – Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty
5219 (49¢) Disney Villains – Cruella De Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmatians
5220 (49¢) Disney Villains – Ursula from The Little Mermaid
5221 (49¢) Disney Villains – Gaston from Beauty and the Beast
5222 (49¢) Disney Villains – Scar from The Lion King
a. Block of 10, #5213-5222

Updated July 7, 2017:
On July 15, 2017, in Anaheim, CA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Disney Villains stamps (Forever® priced at 49 cents), in ten designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 475400). The Disney Villains $9.80 pane of 20 stamps may not be split, and the stamps may not be sold individually. The stamps will go on sale nationwide July 15, 2017.

This issuance celebrates the rich legacy of the Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department with a pane of 20 stamps showcasing 10 classic Disney villains: Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty), Honest John (Pinocchio), Cruella De Vil (One Hundred and One Dalmatians), Captain Hook (Peter Pan), the Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland), Lady Tremaine (Cinderella), Ursula (The Little Mermaid), the Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), Gaston (Beauty and the Beast), and Scar (The Lion King). The selvage area features the Queen from Snow White standing in front of an ornate background. The reverse side of the pane includes drawings of the 10 characters and a quote by each one. Art Director Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, working closely with Disney Creative Director David Pacheco and the team at the Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department, designed these stamps using new art created for the issuance.

Stamp Fulfillment Services has completed an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales. How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-782-6724. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

FDOI – Disney Villains Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by September 15, 2017. Philatelic products for this stamp issue are as follows:

  • 475406, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $58.80
  • 475410 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake (random cover), $11.95
  • 475416 First-Day Cover (set of 10), $9.30
  • 475421 Digital Color Postmark (set of 10), $16.40
  • 475430 Ceremony Program, $6.95
  • 475433 Panel, $17.95
  • 475466 Notecards (set of 20), $15.95

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Disney Villains Stamps
Item Number: 475400
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail®, Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (10 designs)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: July 15, 2017, Anaheim, CA 92803
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Artist: Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department
Modeler: Joseph Sheeran
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Printed at: Williamsville, NY
Press Type: Muller A76
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 60,000,000 stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored Type III, Gloss Block Tag
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. (APU)
Colors: Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, PMS 7687C Purple
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 1.085 x 1.420 in/27.56 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 1.225 x 1.56 in/31.12 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 7.12 x 9.45 in/180.85 x 240.03 mm
Press Sheet Size (w x h): 22.235 x 19.025/564.77 x 483.24 mm
Plate Size: 120 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “P” followed by five (5) digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Header: DISNEY VILLAINS – from the Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department
Back: ©2017 USPS • USPS Logo • Barcode (475400) • Plate Position Diagram • Promotional Text • Line Drawing and quote for each character • Disney Logo • Disney proprietary information

Updated July 6, 2017: There are 10 Digital Color Postmarks for this issue, one for each stamp, but any of the DCPs may be used for any of the stamps! There is also a B&W hand cancel and a “special” postmark that local post offices may use. Here are the designs: “Alice in Wonderland” measures 2.87″ x 1.47″.“Cinderella” measures 2.99″ x 1.10″.“Lion King” measures 2.97″ x 1.32″.“Peter Pan” measures 2.73″ x 1.48″.“Sleeping Beauty” measures 2.99″ x 1.15″.“Beauty and the Beast” measures 2.99″ x 1.32″.“101 Dalmatians” measures 2.94″ x 1.37″.“Little Mermaid” measures 2.98″ x 1.47″.“Pinocchio” measures 2.69″ x 1.32″.“Snow White” measures 2.97″ x 1.44″.The B&W postmark measures 2.57″ x 1.23.”.The “special” postmark measures 3.00″ x 1.27″.

Updated July 5, 2017:
According to the USPS web-store listing for this item, “the selvage area features the Queen from Snow White standing in front of an ornate background. The reverse side of the sheet includes drawings of the 10 characters and a quote by each one.”

Maleficent: “You poor simple fools! Thinking you could defeat me, me, the Mistress of All Evil!”

Honest John: “If we play our cards right, we’ll be on easy street, or my name isn’t Honest John!”

Cruella De Vil: “So, they thought they could outwit Cruella.”

Captain Hook: “Blast that Peter Pan!”

Queen of Hearts: “Off with their heads!”

We’re not told if there are quotes for the remaining three characters, Scar, Gaston and Snow White‘s Queen.

Thanks to Richard Wierzbowski for the tip.

[USPS press release]
Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department to be Celebrated on Forever Stamps Featuring Disney Villains

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the rich legacy of the Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department by dedicating a sheet of 20 Forever stamps featuring 10 classic Disney villains.

The Disney Villains Forever stamps will be dedicated at 1:30 p.m. PDT July 15, during D23 Expo 2017, Disney’s ultimate fan event at the Anaheim Convention Center, Center Stage. The public is encouraged to share the news on social media using the hashtag #DisneyVillainsStamps. Beginning June 22, the stamps may be pre-ordered at usps.com/shop for delivery shortly after the July 15 issuance.

Admission is limited to the ceremony that is standing room only. You may RSVP at www.usps.com/disney; however, this does not guarantee admission. Additional instructions will be provided. D23 Expo 2017 ticket holders do not need to RSVP. Each stamp showcases one of 10 classic Disney villains against a blue background: the Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), Honest John (Pinocchio), Lady Tremaine (Cinderella), the Queen of Hearts (Alice in Wonderland), Captain Hook (Peter Pan); and Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty), Cruella De Vil (One Hundred and One Dalmatians), Ursula (The Little Mermaid), Gaston (Beauty and the Beast) and Scar (The Lion King).

The words “USA” and “Forever” appear in the top right corner or bottom right corner of each stamp and the name of the classic villain and the movie in which the character appears runs along the left edge.

The Art of Animation
Beginning in 1923, Disney’s Ink & Paint Department helped create classic animated films. Its artists brought life to countless memorable characters, including many iconic Disney villains.

One of the first groups of its kind, Disney’s Ink & Paint Department was yet another stop on the road to creating an animated film. After the animators’ pencil drawings were finished, they went to Ink and Paint. There, highly specialized artists meticulously recreated each pencil line in ink, capturing every nuanced movement and expression. At first, artists used black and white, and later shades of gray to “color” each celluloid or cel. In the early 1930s, the artists began using rich colors on the animation cels.

The last full-length animated Disney film to use the hand-painted cel process was The Little Mermaid (1989). Beauty and the Beast (1991) and The Lion King (1994) were hand drawn. The original pencil drawings for those films were then scanned and painted digitally. For these stamps, the characters Gaston (Beauty and the Beast) and Scar (The Lion King) have been recreated using traditional ink and paint techniques.

Art director Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, designed the issuance.

The Disney Villains from the Walt Disney Studios Ink & Paint Department stamps are being issued as Forever stamps that are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail service one-ounce price.

APS Exec On The State of The Hobby

At a “town hall” meeting at the NAPEX show in suburban Washington, D.C., June 9, 2017, American Philatelic Society executive director Scott English talked about the diminishing membership, not only in the APS, but in stamp collecting organizations in general.

APS membership in 1988, when English graduated high school, was almost 56,000. Today, when his youngest child is graduating high school, it’s about 29,000. Membership is down about 900 for the year. “It scares me,” he admits.

English said he did “opposition research” before he took the job as executive director 22 months ago. He described that as “I know more about you than you do, and it isn’t all good.”

In this case, he found that the APS was disconnected and standing still. It’s still a problem, he said. “Our problem with the hobby is we love tradition.”

However, English — who was not a stamp collector before he took the job — disputes assertions that stamp collecting is dying, and decreasing organizational membership proves it.

“Stamp collecting isn’t collapsing, organized philately is,” he declared.

English told the collectors at the NAPEX session the APS may get involved in the Regency-Superior bankruptcy case. That was a large philatelic auction house and retail stamp seller with headquarters in Saint Louis. A major creditor has seized the assets of the firm, and those who consigned stamps and covers to Regency-Superior for sale may not be paid.

He said that while the organization itself was a consignor to R-S auctions and stands to lose money, the APS also wants to stand up for its members and other consignors. English says it is not fair that material that they own should be seized by this creditor, a bank. He has directed the APS attorney to look into the matter.

He also said that APS may get involved in seeking changes to bankruptcy law to protect future philatelic consignors. English said that in his past career in politics, he was at times involved in writing bankruptcy legislation.

English also disputed the assertion by the owner of Regency-Superior that the business failed because stamp collecting is dying. You can hear or read his comments in a Virtual Stamp Club radio feature (podcast).

On other subjects:

  • APS will be redoing its website to make it mobile-friendly and Google-friendly. Right now, it’s neither, and only 2% of its visits are from mobile devices (and he suspects that’s just himself and COO Ken Martin).
  • AmeriStamp Expo 2017 in Reno was on target for revenue, off target on expenditures, and resulted in a loss.
  • On finances, English deferred to APS Treasurer Bruce Marsden, who said APS/APRL finances are probably the healthiest they’ve been in the past 5-6 years.
  • English gives “all credit” to Robert A. Siegel Auctions for getting the most possible for the American Philatelic Research Library for the recently-recovered inverted Jenny airmail stamp. “That stamp should have sold for about $180,000,” English said. “It’s probably the most expensive reperfed stamp ever!”
  • A small shopping center is going into the vacant space right next to the American Philatelic Center, with six retail spaces. Its architectural style was influenced by and will be consistent with the APC.

Stanley Gibbons Firm Up For Sale

The world’s oldest stamp dealership, Stanley Gibbons, has put itself up for sale, according to a report by the BBC.

Although founded in London in 1856, Gibbons for many years has been headquartered on the Isle of Jersey, considered a tax haven. Gibbons, however, does maintain a retail store in London.

Stanley Gibbons also sells coins and antiques, but is most identified with rare stamps. For many years, the firm has had few if any philatelists among its management. It has attempted to make inroads in the online stamp collecting market, and for a very brief time, owned The Virtual Stamp Club.

Gibbons said it had received an offer by an investor, which the investor denied.

Scheuer’s Kansas-Nebraska Overprint Article Wins APS Award

Henry B. Scheuer’s article titled “Kansas-Nebraska Overprint Stamps: Why, Where, and When They Were Initially Sold” was selected as the 2016 winner of the United States Stamp Society/Barbara R. Mueller Award for the best article published in a single year of The American Philatelist. The award will be presented at the APS StampShow Celebration Banquet 2017 on August 5 in Richmond, Virginia.

More on the award and the article can be found on the APS website.

APS Names 2017 Carter Service Award Winners

The American Philatelic Society is recognizing Ed Andrews, Jack Congrove, Dawn Hamman, Ed & Judy Jarvis, and David McNamee for National Service to Philately, and Ed Laveroni, Sharon Newby, Gerald Nylander, Guy Purington, Roger Rhoads, Charles Shoemaker, Norm Shufrin, Roger Skinner, Tim Wait, and Ann Wood for Local Service.

Awards are presented each year at the APS General Meeting, this year on August 5 at StampShow 2017 in Richmond, Virginia. The Young Adult and Young Philatelist awards will be announced at a later date.

Brief bios of each recipient can be found on the APS website.

The Nicholas G. Carter Volunteer Recognition Award recognizes the outstanding efforts of our volunteers at national and local levels and also recognizes our younger members whose outstanding leadership is crucial to our future. The awards were been named in memory of Nick Carter who helped to establish them. Nick felt it was important to recognize those unsung heroes who contribute their talents, time and energies to benefit stamp collecting and the society.

U.S. Scott Catalogue Update (June 2017)

5191 (70¢) Robert Panara

5192 (49¢) Delicioso booklet stamp – Tamales
5193 (49¢) Delicioso booklet stamp – Flan
5194 (49¢) Delicioso booklet stamp – Sancocho
5195 (49¢) Delicioso booklet stamp – Empanadas
5196 (49¢) Delicioso booklet stamp – Chile Relleno
5197 (49¢) Delicioso booklet stamp – Ceviche
a. Block of 6, #5192-5197
b. Convertible booklet pane of 20, 4 each #5192-5193, 3 each #4194-5197

5198 ($1.15) Echeveria Plant
5199 (49¢) Boutonniere
5200 (70¢) Corsage

Canada 150: Olympics and Paralympics (Canada 2017)

[press release]
Spirit of the Games: Canada’s Paralympic and Olympic achievements honoured in final two Canada 150 stamps
Canadian athletes, our country’s success in hosting Paralympics and Olympics celebrated as all 10 Canada 150 stamps go on sale

RICHMOND, B.C. – Canadian Paralympic and Olympic greats unveiled the final two Canada 150 stamps June 1 at a special ceremony honouring Canada’s athletes and the country’s success in hosting the Paralympic and Olympic Games.

All 10 Canada 150 stamps and associated stamp products are now on sale online at canadapost.ca and in postal outlets across the country. The Canada 150 stamps being issued by Canada Post mark unforgettable moments and achievements in Canada since our country’s centennial in 1967.

Paralympic glory
Canadian Paralympic legends Arnold Boldt and Lauren Woolstencroft unveiled a stamp celebrating Canada’s achievements in the Paralympic movement and our country’s role as host of two Paralympic Games – in Toronto in 1976 and Vancouver in 2010. Boldt is a six-time Paralympian who won eight medals in high jump and long jump, including seven gold. Woolstencroft, a former para-alpine skier and the first Canadian winter Paralympian to win five gold medals at a single Games, is featured on the Paralympic stamp.

Olympic greatness
Canadian high-jump legend and Olympic silver medallist Greg Joy, along with Joannie Rochette, Olympic bronze medallist in figure skating, unveiled a separate stamp commemorating Canada’s success as a three-time host of the Olympic Games: the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montréal, the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The Olympic stamp features a triumphant Alexandre Bilodeau after winning the men’s moguls event in Vancouver and capturing Canada’s first Olympic gold medal on Canadian soil.

Both the Paralympic and Olympic stamps were unveiled at a ceremony held at Canada Post’s Pacific Processing Centre in Richmond, B.C. Left to right, Canadian Paralympic legends Arnold Boldt and Lauren Woolstencroft unveiled a stamp celebrating Canada’s achievements in the Paralympic movement and Joannie Rochette, Olympic bronze medallist in figure skating, and Canadian high-jump legend and Olympic silver medallist Greg Joy unveiled a separate stamp commemorating Canada’s success as a three-time host of the Olympic Games. Photo by Flora Gordon/Canada Post.

Lasting legacies and memories
The Olympic and Paralympic Games held in Canada inspired a nation, left an indelible mark on our country, and showcased Canada to the world. They produced iconic Canadian moments and influenced generations of current, former and up-and-coming Olympians. Thousands of Canadians participated in the Olympic and Paralympic torch relays that toured through communities across Canada, allowing people of all ages and athletic abilities to have their own special Games moment.

All 10 Canada 150 stamps now on sale
Each stamp in the set has been unveiled by a distinguished Canadian individual or group related to the moment being celebrated. The location of each stamp launch also directly related to the moment being commemorated. The first stamp, celebrating Expo 67, was unveiled in Montréal by Habitat 67 architect Moshe Safdie on April 27, while the stamp honouring the Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was unveiled on Parliament Hill on May 3 with the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, Chief Justice of Canada. The third stamp, which pays tribute to the Canadarm and Canadian innovation, was unveiled by Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen during a recorded event at a Toronto school and released online May 4.

The fourth stamp, commemorating the 2005 passage of the Civil Marriage Act – which made marriage equality the law in Canada – was unveiled in Toronto on May 9 in partnership with The 519, an organization that supports the LGBTQ community. The fifth stamp, celebrating the Trans-Canada Highway, was unveiled in Regina on May 16 by Canadian country music star Dean Brody. The sixth stamp, honouring Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope, was unveiled in St. John’s, N.L. on May 25 by Judith Fox, Terry’s sister. The seventh stamp, commemorating Nunavut becoming a territory, was unveiled May 30 at the legislative assembly in Iqaluit by Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna, Commissioner of Nunavut Nellie Kusugak, and George Qulaut, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. The eighth stamp, celebrating Canada’s victory in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union, was unveiled May 31 at CFB Winnipeg by Canadian hockey legends who played on the team.

About the stamps
Each of the 10 maple-leaf shaped die-cut PermanentTM domestic-rate stamps measures 40 mm x 40 mm and is printed in 6 colours plus tagging. The self-adhesive stamps are available in a booklet of 10 (4 million stamps). A gummed pane of 10 stamps, with circle perforations 4.5 cm in diameter, is also available (80,000 panes). Official First Day Covers, one for each stamp design and each cancelled in OTTAWA ON, are available in a pack of 10 (10,000 packs). The stamp issue was designed by Roy White and Liz Wurzinger of Subplot Design Inc. in Vancouver, B.C., and printed by the Lowe-Martin Group.

Canada Post’s videos on the Olympic and Paralympic Games:

Canada Post’s video on the Paralympics: